Virtine

Virtine is a young country of considerable wealth and prosperity governed by its merchants. It is located on the southern coast of the Azure Sea in central Korinth, which put it in the path of many trade routes. Although they suffered over a century of subjugation at the hands of the Merchant Princes, with only the city of Virtine maintaining their independence. They once again became wealthy, independent collection of city-states following the fall of the Merchant Prince.

History
Settlers from Merchant Prince arrived to the region where Virtine would grow in 884 AS, after gaining their independence following the Battle of the Singing Arrows. The nation Virtine was founded in 913 AS by Rothgar Feldhammer, a dwarf war-leader who gathered and commanded a standing army to police the roads of the fledgling human territory. He formed a government led by a merchant's council, who elected an Overmaster that served 7-year terms.

Despite Virtine's aversion to outright war, they did engage in a drawn out conflict with the Myrians and Azurians. In the middle of the war however, they assassinated several Myrian bringing an end to the war.

A civil war was fought in the 1100s AS which weakened them considerably. The Merchant Princes took advantage of the situation and claimed the realm as a free protectorate. Currently as of 1256 AS, Virtine has seceded and fighting a civil war with them to reclaim their independence.

Culture
City life dominated the lifestyle of these people. Their culture is seen as superior to those of other cities from across the Korinth.

They do not share the lavish lives of other mercantile nations, such as the Merchant Princes, but its abundant wealth attracts desperate people from across the lands, usually in the form of secret cabals or villainous cults.